Local Anger over State of Prescot Cemetery

A Prescot woman has started a petition to have a plaque at Prescot Cemetery replaced.

Viv Frodsham wrote on the Prescot Online Facebook page that the sign “made the place feel special.” It’s been removed and, she believes, relocated to the new Knowsley Cemetery on Fox’s Bank Lane, Whiston. She notes that the cemetery appears neglected now.

The Fox’s Bank Lane cemetery is beautifully kept, and it should rightly make Knowsley proud. On hearing about the state of the Prescot Cemetery from several Prescotians on the Facebook page, however (you can read some of the complaints here and here), I stopped by to see for myself and take some pictures.

The critics, some of whom have generations of their family buried there, were right. What I found was:

Several vandalised gravestones

Plinths and pieces of graves stacked up looking like part of a construction site

Missing gates

A new plastic sign in place of the historic plaque Viv mentioned

Two poles standing on their own where a sign should be

In fairness, the area around the BICC Memorial, not long situated there, offers a fitting tribute to Prescotians and a pleasant place to sit and reflect. But this only makes the poor state of the rest of the cemetery all the more regrettable. It does real dishonour and disrespect to the town and those who are buried there.

As I write, Viv’s petition needs 47 more signatures before it will be presented to Knowsley Council. Let’s hope it is an important step towards drawing the council’s attention to public feeling about the condition of Prescot Cemetery.

21 Comments

Viv Frodsham

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at 12:11 pm

Thanks Dave
That really does just about sum it all up. My family have a plot there, when I die, that’s where I want to go, but I don’t want to rest among beer bottles and crisp packets like one of the other Prescotians mentioned. The time to do something about it is while we are alive, too late when we have gone.
I will keep putting the petition on Facebook, and hopefully will get a few more signatures.
Viv

thank you dave hopefully the council will hear the people of prescot. please look after the place where we buried our loving familys, with the belief that the cemetery would always be cared for and tended.It seems that knowsley council have put all there energy into looking after the new whiston cemetery and have forgotten the people that have family buried in prescot cemetery

Shame on Knowsley Council! when other Countries can look after our war graves, and give our men and women who fought for this country the respect they deserve. Then why does Knowsley Council feel this is exectable for the good people past and present of Prescot.

That’s right Jackie. If you go abroad the graveyards are impecable and it is a pleasure to walk around. If the graveyard is kept nicely, it makes you want to go. A lot of people don’t go because it is in such a state and it upsets them to think their loved ones have been left like this.

I have visited the cemetery this afternoon, and cleaned up a little. However, I noticed that there appears to be ONE TAP for water for the whole of the cemetery. The tap at the top left corner of the cemetery has been broken. This meant I had to walk right down to the other side of the cemetery to get some water.
I met a nice young couple who told me that each time they visit, their momentos and flowers are trashed. This just isn’t good enough.
Please Knowsley Council, organise some water so that we can put our flowers on our loved ones graves.

my dad passed away last year and his only wish was to be buried with his mum and dad behind prescot parish.went for his birthday 10th april to discover vandals had trashed it.iwas so upseti wanted to scream and cried all the way home.people these days show no respect for the dead and if i had the money i would have him moved

The iron gates (Manchester Road) were taken away 2 or 3 years ago “to be cleaned up”.
I have my grand parents and great uncles buried there – it is a disgrace.

Being blunt, Knowsley couldn’t care less – a petition for the cemetery is one thing. How about Prescot OUT of Knowsley because there seems to be a groundswell of opinion that Knowsley Council should be abolished. Huyton and it’s shiny schools and facilities can go in with Liverpool, Prescot can return to Lancashire (well St Helens!). Readers may also like to know that the £700,000 spent on refurbishing Prescot Leisure Centre 5 years ago will soon be down the plug hole as a new 5 aside cage is added to one of the pitches making it impossible to use for anything else…any consultation?
Also, the £700,000 was way way over the estimated budgets I obtained at the time – £95,000, £185,000 and a full re build for £225,000. Someone somewhere made a massive profit and that is just ONE project. How many more millions have been squandered by Knowsley over the last 40 years?
Time to end this hiatus and get Prescot back on track – OUT OF KNOWSLEY. now.

I will be keeping an eye out to see when the plaque is replaced, and how long ‘summer’ will be before the gates are replaced. We were much better off when we had Prescot Parish Council. Knowsley Council do not seem at all concerned about Prescot and Whiston.

Yes, I am the person you spoke to. Don’t worry about the petition, we have made our point, and at least Knowsley Council know that the relatives of deceased of Prescot want to make their views known. I won’t give up on improving this cemetery.
It was nice to meet you, hopefully see you there again sometime.

You are probably aware that churches are compelled by law to carey out what is called a “drop test” were unstable and leaning headstons that look dangerous are layed down,in my view it dose make the graveyard look untidy but i guess it’s beter to be safe than sorry were peoples especialy childrens welfair is conserned.
Good luck in having GY tidied ,is it looked after by full time gardeners?.
Regards.
Phil.